Twelve South BookArc möd steps away from metal, embraces wood

Just yesterday we announced Twelve South's new HiRise stand Tactical Black finish and are giving one away; today we're going to take a look at a new take on the venerable BookArc MacBook stand. It's called the BookArc möd (US$79.99) and bring the warm look and feel of wood to a great accessory. Read on for details, then enter a giveaway for a classy walnut BookArc möd from Twelve South and TUAW.

Like the original BookArc that we first reviewed back in early 2010, the BookArc möd uses a graceful curved design with a slot in the middle to hold a MacBook in clamshell (closed cover) mode. This is perfect for those situations where you'd like to use a MacBook with a large screen display, a full keyboard, and a mouse or trackpad. To hold the MacBook securely, each BookArc möd comes with a pair of inserts designed for specific MacBook models.

But rather than continuing to follow in the footsteps of Apple design guru Jony Ive, Twelve South's newest BookArc uses wood as a primary material rather than aluminum. The result is very attractive and functional.

Functionality Highlights

The BookArc möd does a simple job, holding your closed MacBook vertically on a flat surface. It performs that task admirably, with no wobble at all. You should note that you might need to swap out the inserts to get the perfect fit -- although the instructions said that I should use the "7" insert for the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, I have a Speck SeeThru Satin Case on my device that adds just a little bit of width and a lot of protection. The result? I had to use the "5" insert to get more space and it worked just fine.

To keep the BookArc möd from scratching your desktop, there are four small cork pads located on the "feet". With a MacBook loaded onto the BookArc, those feet also keep it from moving thanks to additional friction between the surfaces.

Conclusion

Twelve South makes beautiful and useful products for Apple devices, and they've hit another home run with the BookArc möd. The natural wood finishes give the stand a nice look against the stark metal of the MacBook, and the design ensures a nice tight fit to whatever Apple laptop you're using. My only concern is the price, which seems a tad exorbitant considering the materials.

Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible

Giveaway

Someone out there has a beautiful office and a MacBook, and we're going to give 'em a BookArc möd in the walnut finish. Here are the rules for the giveaway:

Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button.

The entry must be made before May 13, 2014 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

You may enter only once.

One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Twelve South BookArc möd MacBook Stand valued at $79.99